Regional Food HubsAssessing Community Impacts

Nicole Tichenor, M.S.Friedman Fellows’ Symposium

November 17, 2012

Graphic source: Barham et al. 2012

What is a Regional Food Hub?

• “A business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers to strengthen their ability to satisfy wholesale, retail, and institutional demand”

-- National Food Hub Collaboration

• ≈ 170 across the country

Why Regional Food Hubs?

National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2007

Why Regional Food Hubs?

• Increasing demand for local foods– Local food sales: $4.8 billion (2008) to $7 billion

(2011) (USDA ERS 2011)

– 34% of School Food Authorities purchase local and 22% are considering doing so (School Nutrition Association 2009)

Food Hub Examples

Impact Assessment

• USDA Agriculture Marketing Service• Food hub impact assessment tool– Economic, environmental, social impacts– Supply chain approach– Track internal progress and compare against other

hubs– Self-administered

Process

• Compile “indicator inventory”• Design 4-part assessment tool– Suppliers, hubs, consumer buyers, wholesale

buyers• Pilot• Refine tool and release

Example Questions

• Farmers:– “ Have you diversified the products you grow as a

result of working with the hub?” (y/n)• Hubs:– “Does the hub donate food locally?” (y/n)

• “If YES, how many pounds last fiscal year?”

• Consumers:– “Has your household increased the amount you

spend on locally-produced food per month by buying through the food hub?” (y/n and follow up question)

Future Research Agenda

• Research to date has been limited • More quantitative data and evaluation are

needed • Healthy food access: what we know – Sell to variety of markets – 47% report distributing in food deserts (Barham et al.

2012)

– Innovative programming

Future Research Agenda

• Reach and quality of food hub healthy food access programs

• Impacts of programs on consumption • Price comparisons (farm-gate and retail)

across supply chain arrangements

THANK YOU!